Rearview mirror adjustable by rotation about a median axis



June 21, 1949. F. J. AVES 2,473,698

REARVIEW MIRROR ADJUSTABLE BY ROTATION ABOUT A MEDIAN AXIS Filed Sept. 22, 1947 49/ L 9 JNVENTOR.

Patented June 21, 1949 REARVIEW MIRROR ADJUSTABLE BY ROTA- TION ABOUT A MEDIAN AXIS Fred J. Aves, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Application September 22, 1947, Serial No. 775,462

3 Claims. (01. 88-93) This application is in part a continuation of my application, Serial No. 594,004, filed May 16, 19%, now Patent No. 2,456,362, for Remote control adjustable mirror. The present invention relates to a rear view mirror of the type disclosed in said application, except that it is adjustable, not by remote control but by direct manual engagement of the mirror itself.

' An object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive yet practical and efficiently operative rear view mirror for a motor vehicle.

, Another object is to provide such a mirror which is particularly adapted for being mounted externally of the body of the motor vehicle.

, Anoth r object is to provide such a mirror having novel and improved means whereby adjustment of the angle of reflection thereof is effected by rotating the mirror about a substantially median axis. H

A further object is to provide a novel and improved swivel mounting through which a rear view mirror may be adjusted to difierent angles of reflection.

A further object is to provide a mounting for a rear view mirror, having improved means for attachment thereof to a portion of a vehicle body without requiring the performance of any drilling or other machine work upon such body portion.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rear view mirror embodying my invention, attached to a front door of a motor vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with portions of the door and the mirror and the mounting shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the mirror frame, with the mirror removed therefrom;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the mounting bracket;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the heel portion of the mounting bracket;

' Fig. '6 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. :7 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5. Y

-As an example of one form in which the-invention may be embodied, I have shown in the drawing a rear view mirror assembly comprising a mirror unit In and a mounting bracket H, attached to a forward portion of a front door l2 of a motor vehicle, I The invention provides for attaching the bracket I l' to the doorv 12 without requiring the drilling of holes or any other machine work upon the door. This is accomplished by providing a clamp is embodying a yoke havin parallel arms it and I5 spaced apart just sufliciently to freely receive the forward flange it of the door l2 and having a web portion l7 adapted to pass through the crack it normally present between the forward door flange and the adjacent shoulder ll) of the motor vehicle body.

The clamp i3 is provided with set screws 20 threaded through the arm M thereof and adapted to engage the inner side of the flange IS. The arm of the clamp is provided with a dimpled opening 2! to receive the head of a long screw 22. The screw 22 extends through a cavity 23 in the heel 22 of the mounting bracket l l and is threaded into a solid portion 25 of the bracket. atthe inner extremity of the cavity 23. The arm' 15.0f the clamp 53 is received in a recess 26 in the end of the base portion 24 of the bracket ll so as to be flush with the end edge 21 of the, base. portion 24. The end edge 2! is shapedarcuately as shown in Fig. 7, to fit the convex curvature of the hip 28 (just below the window 29) of the door I2. The screw 22 provides a pivot around which the bracket l i may be adjusted as indicated by the arrows 30 in Fig. 1, with the surface 21 remaining in contact with the hip surface 28. l,

The bracket I i has a goose neck portion 3i tor.- minatin in a shank 32 the axis of which is inclined at a small angle (which may be approximately within the range of from five to twenty degrees) with reference to the longitudinal axis of the end surface 21 of the base 24. In the end of the shank 32, coaxial therewith, isa recess 33 which is circular intransverse section, and is preferably of aproximately conical shape- The end portion of the shank 32-is externally threaded as at 34. Seated in the recess 32 is a ball shaped trunnion 35 which carries a mirror mounting post 36. An internally threaded collar S'I-is threaded upon the thread portion 34 of the shank and-has an inwardly extending flange 38 which bears against the spherical surface of the trunnion 35. The flange 38 and recess 33 provide opposed annular jaws engaging the'trunnion 35 on spaced circular lines of contact and adapted, when the collartl is advanced onthe threaded portion 34, to securely clamp the trunnion 35 between them, therebyto fix the post 36 in any selected position of adjustment deviating angularlyfromthe axis of the shank 32. As shown in Fig. 2, the ,post 36 is positioned on said axis, but. it, will be understood that by loosening the collar 31 it may be adjusted to any position of inclination within pre-determined angular limits.

Mounted upon the post 36 are a pair of spaced washers or discs 39 and 46 each having a surface conforming to a portion of a spherical surface. Between these spherical surfaces of the Washers 39 and 40, there is frictionally engaged a mirror frame or'casing having-a back-4| which conforms to the engaging" surfaces of the washers 39 and 40. The washers 39 and 40 are maintained in frictional engagement with the back 4| under the yielding pressure of a conical Spring 42 which is disposed under compression between the washer 40 and a washer 43 that is engaged against'a-head' 44 on the post 36. The small end of-the-spring 4-2 pilots on the post 36 so as to position the spring.

A mirror 45 is mounted irr=arr annularch'annel 46 which constitutes the periphery of the backM.

The post 36 extends through an opening Him the back 4| which is considerably larger in diameterth'an th'e'post. The clearance between the post "3'6 and the opening 4! provides for adjustment 'ofthe mirror 'to' any position intermediate twolimit'positions (in'one of which the mirror is'centered with referenceto the post 36, i. e., coaxial therewith, and the plane of the mirror is at right angles tothe'axis of the post 36, and in the other of which" the mirror casing is disposed eccentrically with reference to the post 36 and theplane of the mirror subtends an angle deviatingfrom' a right angle with reference to the axis of the post).

It will 'now be apparent'that the invention provide's the following .features (a) 'I'he'bra'cket May be connected to a moor "doingiany othermachine work on the vehicle '(b)"'I'he' bracket ||,.when thus connected to the-lioonismounted'for'pivotal adjustment of its baseporti'on 3'4 around'the' general longitudinal axi's'ofthebracket' whereby'to facilitate obtaining maximumcloseness offit between the arcuate end surface 2Tand the exterior. surface of the doorhip'ni' Such adjustmentalso provides an angular adjustment'ofthe axis;of the shank '32 'in a vertical direction; whereby to raise 'orilower the 'en'd"of "th'e'sh'ank'32 within limits.

The'mirrorframe, when adjusted to an eccentric position" with reference to the post '36, may be'm'anually rotated about the post 36, thereby'shiftin'g the mirror 45throu'gh a' series of positions in" which it' successively assumes different angles withreference both to the vertical and the "horizontal. In thus moving through a complete circumference; theniirror 45 will describe a coni calp'ath of revolution. and "the line'ofsight from the operator's eye to the-mirror indicated by the li i'ie 48 in Fig. z will rep'resent the reflection of any' 'one T of i aseries of light: beams approaching the mirror'alotrg anyone: of a seriesof paths collectively 'deflninga conical surfacediverging rearward-1y fromt the mirrorwithin limits indicated by. the lines -49- and- 49, said conical surface encompassi-ng the =field of vision reflected by the mirror.- To-illustrate; .if. the vision were fixed upon the mirrorv alongthe line of'sight 48 while theirnirro'r was beingrotated'throug'hout a complete'revolutiomthe li'ne of sight' from the mirro'r to the object b'eing' sighted would describe a conical pathof revolution of which the lines 49 Such conical path of'revolution is indicated in -'and 49' indicate the'limits -in a horizontal plane. Y

4 Fig. 1 at 49". Within this conical path of revolution, the line of sight from the mirror will be adjusted vertically, horizontally, and in intermediate directions.

(d) The magnitude of the angle subtended by the path of revolution 49, 49' may be varied from zero to a maximum by changing the eccentricity of themirroncasing 4| between the limits previously specified. When the mirror, by such adjustment, is brought to its centered position, at right angles to the axis of the post 36, a single fixed path of reflection will be provided. With a slig-hteccentricityof the casing 4|, the paths of refiection'-49, 49' will diverge slightly. With adjustmentof the casing 4| to maximum eccentricity, maximum divergence of the paths of reneeded-49, 49" willbe provided for. This position-of maximum eccentricity is determined by contact of the edge of the opening 41 against the post 36 as indicated in Fig. 2.

Inadjusting:the'eccentricity of the casing 4|, the casing must'be shifted between the washers 39 and'4ll by the application of sufiicient force to overcome the frictional grip of the washers against the casing as determined by the pressure of the spring'42. This'frictional grip of the wash ers upon the casing serves to maintain the position of eccentricity while permitting rotation of the casingabout the post 36, no movement betweenthe engaging surfaces of the washers 39, 49 and casing 4| being required by such rotation. Fixation of the mirror in any position to which it is adjusted by, such rotation about the post 36 is provided forby' frictional engagement between the outer surface of the washer 39 and the shoulder'or abutment 5|] of the trunnion 35, against which said outer washer surface is pressed by the pressure of 'the spring 42.

I claim;

1. In arear viewmirror device, a casing carrying a-mirror-in its f-rontland having a semispherical rear wall of large radius relative to its area presenting-an axial opening, a pair of-relatively small-, semispherical discs disposed,-.respectively, against and conformingto the inner andouter surfaces of-saidrearwall in coveringtrelationship to a said opening, said discs having coaxial openings smaller than the opening in said rear wall a-mountingpost of :round cross section havinga .diameter substantially equal the diameter of the-opening-.in:each-of' the respective discs, said post extending through said openings in said discs'andsaid rear wall, meansproviding an annular abutment, of smaller diameterthan i the outerdisc, around the post and in position to be frictionally engaged bythe outer disc, spring means in the casing around the inner end of the post and-bearing rearwardly against the inner disc whereby to resiliently-urge the-discs and casing'towardssaidabutment, and bracket means supporting-thewpost; saidcasing being laterally slidable relative to the discs and post.

2. In .-a.-.rear.- view mirror device; a casing carrying a mirror in its front and having a semi sphericaiwrear'iwall of :large radius relative toits area presenting an axial opening; a pair of'relatively small', 'sem'isph'erical discs disposed, respectively', againstand conforming tothe innerand outer surfaces -of said"rear wall -in covering relatldnship to'said"opening,' said discs' having'co' axal openingssmaller than'theopenings in said rear wall, a mounting post of round cross section having'adiametersubstanti'ally equal the diameter of the-op'ening'ineachof 'the respective dis'cs,

said post extending through said openings in said discs and said rear wall, means providing an annular abutment, of smaller diameter than the outer disc, fixed on the post in position for engagement by the outer disc, spring means in the casing bearing rearwardly against the inner one of the discs and resiliently urging the discs and casing towards said abutment, and bracket means non-rotatably supporting the post; said discs and casing being rotatable about the post and said casing being laterally slidable relative to the discs and post.

3. In a rear view mirror device, a casing carrying a mirror in its front and having a semispherical rear wall of large radius relative to its area presenting an axial opening, a pair of relatively small, semispherical discs disposed, respectively, against and conforming to the inner and outer surfaces of said rear wall in covering relationship to said opening, said discs having coaxial openings smaller than the opening in said rear wall, a mounting post of round cross section having a diameter substantially equal the diameter of the opening in each of the respective discs, said post extending through said openings in said discs and said rear wall, means providing an annular REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,526,226 La Hodny Feb. 10, 1925 1,537,039 Short May 5, 1925 1,844,675 Oshel et al Feb. 5, 1932 1,909,526 Falge et al May 16, 1933 2,248,833 Thibault et a1 July 8, 1941 2,356,432 Roedding Aug. 22, 1944 2,405,731 Beggs et a1 Aug. 13, 1946 

